spawn

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English [edit]

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Etymology [edit]

Recorded since 1413; from Middle English spawne, spawnen, from Anglo-Norman espaundre, from Old French espandre, from Latin expandere (“stretch out", "spread out”).

Pronunciation [edit]

Verb [edit]

spawn (third-person singular simple present spawns, present participle spawning, simple past and past participle spawned)

  1. (transitive) To produce or deposit (eggs) in water.
  2. (transitive) To generate, bring into being, especially non-mammalian beings in very large numbers.
  3. (transitive) To bring forth in general.
  4. (transitive) To induce (aquatic organisms) to spawn
  5. (transitive) To plant with fungal spawn
  6. (intransitive) To deposit (numerous) eggs in water.
  7. (intransitive) To reproduce, especially in large numbers.
  8. (ergative, video games, of a character or object) (To cause) to appear spontaneously in a game at a certain point and time.

Derived terms [edit]

Translations [edit]

to produce or deposit (eggs) in water
to generate, bring into being, especially non-mammalian beings in very large numbers
to bring forth in general
to induce (aquatic organisms) to spawn
to plant with fungal spawn
to deposit (numerous) eggs in water
to reproduce, especially in large numbers
to appear spontaneously in a game at a certain point and time

Noun [edit]

spawn (plural spawn)

  1. The numerous eggs of an aquatic organism
  2. Mushroom mycelium prepared for (aided) propagation
  3. (by extension) Any germ or seed, even a figurative source; offspring
  4. (video games) The location in a game where characters or objects spontaneously appear.

Derived terms [edit]

Translations [edit]

the numerous eggs of an aquatic organism
mushroom mycelium prepared for (aided) propagation
any germ or seed, even a figurative source; offspring

Anagrams [edit]

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